Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. This review discusses the clinical features, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology of glaucoma. The authors present a typical case of glaucoma, together with the ocular findings. This review discusses the clinical features, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology of glaucoma. The authors present a typical case of glaucoma, together with the ocular findings. Glaucoma is a chronic, degenerative optic neuropathy that can be distinguished from most other forms of acquired optic neuropathy by the characteristic appearance of the optic nerve. In glaucoma, the neuroretinal rim of the optic nerve becomes progressively thinner, thereby enlarging the optic-nerve cup. This phenomenon is referred to as optic-nerve cupping. Its cause is the loss of retinal ganglion cell axons, along with supporting glia and vasculature. The remaining neuroretinal rim retains its normal pink color. In other optic neuropathies, the optic-nerve tissue loses its pink color and cupping does not develop. A rare exception is arteritic anterior ischemic . . .